Girl Sesh

The official Sesh Blog of the Empowered, Cultivated, Modern, Ambitious Woman

Search the keyword “productivity” on Pinterest and you’ll find thousands of articles and hacks that claim to be the secret sauce of successful and productive people. The truth is, there isn’t one easy answer. Your perfect productive day is most likely very different from the woman next to you and probably includes a combination of different actions, hacks, and tasks..

Luckily for you, coworking provides a number of opportunities for a productive day! This is actually one of the main reasons women come from all across Houston to cowork with us.

Want to know how coworking can be so productive? Check out seven of those ways below!

1. Accountability

Working alongside others has built-in accountability. Share what you’re working on with a fellow coworker and check in with each other about it every few hours. Sometimes just simply reporting back on the status of a task to a friend can increase your productivity three-fold.

2. Collaboration

We talk a lot of the benefits of collaboration here at Sesh Coworking because we believe in its power. Collaboration makes work more fun, which means you enjoy it more and are less likely to procrastinate. Collaboration and brainstorming also give you the opportunity to experience many paths to a solution rather than one.

3. Inspiration

Ah, we all need inspiration in our work regardless of our industry. Inspiration can come in many different forms and working alongside other women is like sitting next to an untapped well of inspo (tweet this!).

4. Your Environment Sets the Tone

It’s true. Have you ever tried to work from home when your office is cluttered or you have a pile of dirty laundry waiting or Netflix is just. right. there. It’s tough! When you’re working from home, your brain spends a lot of energy simply trying to shut out those distractions. But coworking in an environment where there isn’t a full sink of dirty dishes distracting you and where others are also working literally makes it easier for your brain to get into work mode too.

5. Get More Done in Less Time

Work-from-home mamas, this one is for you! Though working from home with children has its perks, sometimes you can get more work done in a couple of uninterrupted hours without kids than all day at home with kids. This allows you to have more quality time with your family, which is why you began working from home in the first place!

6. Networking for Fast Resources

When working, it will inevitably happen that you require a service from another business. Whether it is a question about LLC formation or the recognition that you’re ready for a social media manager, when coworking, you have a community you can turn to. If that specific service isn’t being represented in the coworking community itself, chances are good that someone will at least have a recommendation. All you have to do is ask!

7. The Opportunity for Meaningful Breaks

We all know how important small breaks can be for your productivity levels, but did you know that those breaks need to be meaningful? That means they need to be intentional and actually help you replenish brain energy. At home, you may walk to the kitchen and grab a snack out of boredom or zone out watching YouTube videos, but how meaningful is this to you, really? When you cowork, it is much easier to enjoy a meaningful break. A coffee chat, Pilates over lunch, or a walk around the block with a friend are examples of breaks that will truly rejuvenate you.

The Sesh Coworking community is the most supportive and collaborative coworking community in Houston. Our goal is to create a space in which you not only survive but thrive both in your professional and personal lives.

The Sesh Coworking space is being created with your peak productivity in mind. Every amenity is designed to support you through your day making life a little more balanced, a lot more productive, and loads more fulfilling. You’ve earned it.

If there’s one thing we believe in through and through, it’s the life-changing benefits of coworking. Ever since we were first introduced to the concept more than five years ago, we’ve been on a path to create more opportunities for women to incorporate coworking into their daily lives.

Sesh began with a dream of a place where working women could thrive in their professional lives as well as their personal lives. A safe and supportive community where women could learn, grow, share resources, and ask questions. We believe that women not only need a place like this, but deserve it too.

Coworking allows space for all of that to happen. Here are eight reasons ways coworking can make your life and work infinitely better:

1. Higher Productivity 👊

When you are surrounded by amazing women who you can visibly see kicking ass and taking names, it’s difficult not to be inspired to do the same yourself. Your dog is a wonderful companion, but he can’t remind you to get back on task when your brain drifts off into space.

Working close to coworkers gives you the visual cue you need to stay on task. Studies support this idea too. As noted in the Harvard Business Review, “most members (84%) reported that working in a coworking space improved their work engagement and motivation.” Win!

2. Loneliness, be gone! 💛

One of the biggest complaints we hear from women who work remotely is the overwhelming feeling of loneliness. You may go through an entire day conversing digitally with clients and coworkers, but only speaking aloud to the kid working the register at the grocery store or your toddler.

Coworking doesn’t mean you chat all day and ignore your work, but it does provide infinitely more opportunities to connect with real human beings. For extroverts, that could mean chatting with the women around you in between projects or tasks. For introverts, sometimes just being in the presence of others (no small talk required) is enough to banish those feelings of loneliness.

3. Collaborations all day, erryday 🤝

When you begin to meet other like-minded women, the opportunity for collaboration skyrockets. It’s pretty hard to collaborate if you’re working at home alone, right? Collaborations with other business owners can mean exposure to a new client base, a chance to learn from another perspective, and even the possibility of saving money. We totally believe the popular adage that a rising tide lifts all boats, and coworking creates space for that tide.

4. New friends! 👯

Who doesn’t love making a new friend? It taps into the 7-year-old that’s inside all of us. We all know how hard it can be to make friends as an adult — you might not even remember the last time you made a new friend. When you join a coworking community, you won’t leave without at least a few new friendships. There’s just something about knowing you’re entering a place with like-minded women that opens your mind and heart to meeting someone new.

5. You feel part of a community while still retaining your authenticity ✨

Be you while still being a part of something greater. As an individual, you are fantastic, and there is space within a coworking community for you and your unique brand or business. Maintain all of that while still participating in the camaraderie of the community. Everyone has something special to bring to the table — even those who are working in the same niche or field. There is room for everyone and their unique skills at the table.

6. You can separate your home from your work 🏡

Working from home can be so distracting! Between the chores left undone, the needs of the family and pets who could truly care less that you need to finish that report, it can be difficult to find balance.

Just working in a space other than your living room, bedroom (because, let’s be honest… #workfromhomeperks), or home office can put you in a completely different headspace — a completely productive headspace. When your brain knows you’re sitting on your couch, it immediately puts you into, well, sitting-on-your-couch mode, which doesn’t usually translate to productivity. Spending a couple of hours or a full day in a coworking environment can help you get ahead of your to-do list and well on your way to making big moves in your biz.

For women, the goal of a balanced life is even harder to attain. Studies show that working women still carry the lion’s share of domestic responsibilities despite also taking on greater professional roles. Finding that line of separation is much easier when you have a separate area to work (and bonus points for a great community too).

7. An amazing network of girl bosses 💃

Wondering where to find the best pediatric dentist? How about the best happy hour specials around town? When you are surrounded by a strong network of like-minded women, you’ll know the hottest spots around town as well as the best services and resources.

Not only will you get great recs in your area (a huge perk if you’ve recently moved to town!), you’ll also be able to connect with other women on a business level. Maybe you’re a graphic designer who is looking to hire a bookkeeper. Good news! The woman working down the table from you has an amazing bookkeeper and you’re able to get her contact info to see if she’ll be a good fit.

8. Emotional support from women like you 🤗

Imposter syndrome, feelings of failure, wondering if we’ve made a poor decision — we all have these feelings. Working through them alone often leaves you locked in a loop of negative self-talk and self-deprecating behavior. We’re women, and sometimes we just need to talk it out with each other to find clarity. And since we’ve all felt the same way at times, you know that you’ll be met with warmth, empathy, love, and support.

Coworking is an incredible resource in the back pocket of today’s working woman. If you live in even a moderately-sized city, chances are good that you have a coworking space near you! If you don’t, why not try starting a coworking time with some friends or acquaintances at a coffee shop or your local public library?

If you’re in the Houston area, we’d love for you to join us!

WIth our Community Membership, you’ll get some amazing perks. Unlimited coworking sessions, event discounts, a supportive community, and so much more. Are you in? Join us!﻿

Hey there! I'm Meredith Wheeler, the co-founder and resident girl boss supporter of Sesh Coworking, and I want to share the story of how this movement began and where we’re going next. In 2017, after spending four years as a mom working remotely, I experienced the harsh reality of working from home alone — loneliness, isolation, lack of connection, and idleness.

While I enjoyed the freedom and flexibility of working from home, I constantly struggled to feel fulfilled. I understood first hand how these negative feelings can impact a person’s productivity, motivation, and overall state of well-being.

After moving back to my hometown of Houston, I knew there had to be a better way and if it wasn’t already in place, I was determined to create it.

I dreamed of a place where working women could thrive professionally as well as personally. A safe and supportive community where women could learn, grow, share resources, and ask questions. The women of Houston deserve a community like this.

I began by hosting monthly pop-up coworking events across the city and quickly expanded to business development and wellness programming based on the turnout and requests of members.

After one year, we acquired a following of over 300 women. After three years, we have amassed a community of over 950 women. Our membership and following continues to grow daily, and we’ve made it to the next [big] step in our journey: building a community space where working women can work and thrive together.

Coming alongside me in the journey to make this dream a reality is co-founder Maggie Segrich. Here’s a piece of her story:

Moving to Houston from New York last summer brought me back full-circle to a desperate and exasperated moment as a business owner. I was opening up my jewelry boutique in Irvington, New York in 2015, and I wanted to get to know the other women in business around me, but found it devastatingly difficult to connect with them due to many New Yorker’s self-isolating lifestyles.

So, I took the old fashioned approach — I walked door-to-door, introducing myself to my nearby business neighbors in an effort to organize a ladies night. Eventually I found myself at the bottom of the very long and incredibly steep Main Street with an entire list of women to invite. I organized that list into a celebration of Irvington’s staggeringly high number of 38 female-owned businesses that lined the steep Main Street that stretched up from the Hudson River

Later that year, we purchased our family home one village over in Dobbs Ferry, however the folks in Irvington made it clear that I wasn't going anywhere without continuing my work organizing business owners. Boxes barely unpacked, I was introduced to a group of Dobbs Ferry villagers that were trying to revive a chamber of commerce that had been dead for nearly a decade. We gathered in the sweaty gym of the senior citizens center, seated in a circle of uncomfortable metal folding chairs and made a feeble attempt to divide and conquer certain tasks needed to get the non-profit started.

It was this painfully awkward meeting that ignited a fire under me to make sure that this Chamber was successful. I researched the local community, built a database of businesses, and once again went door-to-door introducing myself to each business owner. I built our website on Wix and pushed our feeble little group to move our meetings to a far more interesting place that at least had beer. And thus began the Dobbs Ferry Chamber of Commerce.

We kicked off our new chamber by hosting a holiday pop-up in one of the many empty buildings along our Main Street. With its success, we garnered the attention of more local citizens and were able to develop a committee to research and develop a plan we called the “Fast Five.” The “Fast Five” addressed issues regarding speed limits, parking, traffic flow, and pedestrian safety within the business district.

With the traction of the "Fast Five" came attention, and soon our meetings and events were filled with business owners from not just Dobbs Ferry, but other communities located throughout the county. The idea to unite the villages along the Hudson River had always been lurking in the back of my mind, but I never anticipated the demand to come so quickly. In the fall of 2017, that dream became a reality and The Rivertowns Chamber of Commerce was official. We kicked off the first meeting with the highest meeting attendance to date, and finally had enough traction to begin forming other committees that could expand into larger scale community events such Rivertown Public Market.

It was not long after this expansion that I learned I was moving to Houston and that I would have to walk away from the last three and a half years of building what had become The Rivertowns Chamber. Being surrounded by creatives, women, business owners, and other dedicated and inspiring people trying to make an impact became ingrained in my life's purpose — outside of motherhood and jewelry that is!

We moved to Houston in 2018, and I soon discovered Sesh Coworking on Instagram and attended my first pop-up coworking event. I was hooked instantly. Immediately I had a network of other local working women who had resources, tips, tricks, and not to mention, friendship. I didn’t need to walk door-to-door to meet real people. These women wanted to share their experiences with me and I gladly accepted the advice on shortcuts to fight traffic, after-school programs, the best local grocery stores and running trails.

The women that make up the Sesh Coworking community made Houston feel familiar and less foreign. Sesh made my transition to Houston easier — it made houston feel like home.

When I realized that Meredith was working toward developing a brick and mortar home for Sesh, I felt a magnetic pull toward the dream. The transition from what I was doing in New York to building a community space in Houston that addresses the needs of working women in all their forms seemed like the most organic next step on my path.

Who makes up Sesh?

One of the most amazing and inspiring aspects of the Sesh community is that our members are all at various stages of their journey’s in life and career. A student fresh out of college getting started in your first job. A mother trying to figure out what the second-half of her career will look like after staying home to raise her small children. A woman, after facing a corporate lay-off, striking out on her own as a freelancer. Or a wife taking on the role of general contractor after the family home was destroyed during Hurricane Harvey.

The Sesh community is built by a variety of women working in different industries, bonded together by the collective goals of support, work/life balance, and personal and professional growth. Female entrepreneurs, creatives, business owners, remote workers, and freelancers alike find respite, encouragement, friendship and professional support in Sesh Coworking.

How will Sesh be different from other coworking spaces?

The Sesh Coworking space will be Houston’s first female-focused coworking space in the entire city. We focus on the specific needs of working women, a niche other coworking spaces in the city have failed to address.

Unlike other coworking spaces that have built their spaces on the mentality ‘if we build it, they will come,” we have spent the last two years meeting, hugging, and truly getting to know the women of Houston. We built our community first and are now working toward developing a physical space that represents that thriving community.

Sesh is here to streamline the day for working women. We are offering our members in all stages of their lives and careers space to spread their wings with communal-style seating as based on the many cafes across the city of Houston we have hosted our Sesh events at. While we will offer a limited selection of private offices, our focus is to provide a sanctuary that gives time and energy back to the working woman. We are filling our space with amenities that address the variety of different lifestyle and career choices we have discovered amongst our current members.

We look forward to addressing not just a woman’s career path, but to also assist her along her journey in juggling motherhood, wellness, creativity, and self-care.

In 2020, that big dream of a coworking space that’s designed by women, for women will be a reality, and we want you to come alongside us on the journey.

Are you ready to get started?

There are a couple ways you can get involved. Join us at our next event! This is a great way to get connected and find community in the Houston area. If you aren’t local, be sure to come back and visit us here on the blog and on Instagram — we’ll be sharing more stories, tips, and tricks in the coming weeks that will be helpful no matter where you’re located.

Now, before you go… if you could build your dream coworking space, what is the first thing you would add? let us know in the comments below!